Women in Securitisation ASJ article (Issue 10, 2016)

WOMEN IN SECURITISATION: Visions, ambitions and motivations

The Australian Securitisation Forum’s Women in Securitisation (WIS) subcommittee seeks to provide a range of opportunities to assist the growth and success of the securitisation industry, particularly in relation to the contribution women can make. The subcommittee is proud to present a profile of each of its 10 members, including a comment from each about what the WIS vision means to them individually.

MARY PLOUGHMAN (CHAIR) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RESIMAC WIS’s illustrious chairperson and its passionate founder, Mary is a well-known and loved leader in the securitisation industry. She has not only driven change for women but is credited with supporting and improving the securitisation industry throughout her 13-year tenure at Resimac and, prior to this, during the 11 years she spent at Macquarie Bank.

From very early on in her career, Mary has worked tirelessly for a fair and level playing field for women.

One of her many accomplishments is WIS, which she established in an effort to change the way people think about women in business and the way women think about themselves.

“The key goal is to empower women,” she tells ASJ. “I am keen to see more choices in service providers and a more level playing field across the board.”

ANNY CHEN SENIOR ASSOCIATE, KING & WOOD MALLESONS Anny specialises in securitisation and structured finance at King & Wood Mallesons, where she has worked since 2007. She has a three-year old son and a new baby, and Anny says being a mother has been a key motivator behind her WIS subcommittee membership.

In addition to her strong belief that WIS should support flexibility for working mothers, Anny is keen to see the subcommittee help women to “be brave and take charge of their careers”. Anny believes change is needed

in the industry and insists WIS can bring this about.

“We exist, and we cannot be ignored,” she tells ASJ. As well as WIS, Anny is also a member of the ASF Communication subcommittee.

BELINDA SMITH Belinda has worked in debt capital markets for the last 20 years, having diverse experience across treasury, trust management, debt issuance, credit analysis and investment management. Most recently Belinda was general manager of Perpetual’s management-services area, and she has also worked in the securitisation and structured-finance markets in the UK and Japan.

Belinda is extremely keen to create a community and environment where women can feel heard and encouraged, and believes that more women in senior positions are necessary for the securitisation industry in Australia to flourish. Three of her former bosses – Mary Ploughman, Chris Dalton and Fabienne Michaux – are Belinda’s career mentors. “They taught me how to be commercial, build strong networks and relationships, and constantly showed their confidence in me. Most importantly, they each have a strong moral compass, which I highly value.”

CARLY PRIOR VP, STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST Members of the WIS subcommittee feel privileged to have Carly in their ranks. She is a credit analyst for State Street Bank and Trust (State Street)’s investment portfolio in the Asia-Pacific region. The firm’s A$4 billion (US$3 billion) Australian portfolio consists predominantly of assetbacked and residential mortgage-backed securities.

Carly talks passionately about her support for women in the workplace, and she believes significant change is needed. For women to have parental leave and work part-time is not as widely supported as Carly believes it ought to be. “I would also like to see more acceptability and expectation of men working this way in support of their families,” she tells ASJ. Carly mentions Melissa Marzulli, State Street’s former managing director and treasurer, as a great source of professional support throughout her career. “Melissa is an inspiration to many women in the securitisation industry,” she says.

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FIONA GAAL, DIRECTOR, STRUCTURED CAPITAL MARKETS, ANZ Fiona has been with ANZ for 11 years, prior to which she worked at St.George Bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Colonial State Bank. Her first job was with Ford Credit in Adelaide. Fiona says her parents were influential in her career, and she is passionate about her children and family.

Fiona is keen for the WIS subcommittee to support the further development of junior women in the securitisation industry and also for the subcommittee to influence change in a way that both men and women are comfortable with. “This should occur without either feeling intimidated or coerced but in a way that shows they genuinely want to effect change together,” she adds.

JUNE MCFADYEN GROUP TREASURER, FLEXIGROUP As treasurer of FlexiGroup, June brings a wealth of experience and views specifically related to asset-backed securities (ABS). Recently, FlexiGroup became the first Australian issuer to issue a green ABS (see p6), and June says this is one of the most significant achievements in her career to date.

Before starting at FlexiGroup five years ago, June was treasurer at Bluestone Group. Prior to this, she headed Citibank’s retail securitisation programme. She likes to work with people who are direct, transparent and straightforward, which she considers a recipe for success.

June thinks one of the subcommittee’s key roles is to make people question why the committee is needed.

“Being the proud mother of two teenagers I understand the importance of support networks for working parents,” she comments.

LOUISE MCCOACH CONSULTANT, GILBERT + TOBIN Louise is a leading banking and finance lawyer with more than 25 years of in-house counsel and privatepractice experience in the financial-services sector.

After previously heading the debt capital markets and derivatives practices at a top-tier Australian law firm, Louise is now a consultant at Gilbert + Tobin.

Louise feels education is the key to getting all members to understand that strong women and diversity will positively affect the securitisation industry. She believes that WIS will be critical in imparting this education.

Louise brings a varied background to the subcommittee. She is from New Zealand and has a wealth of experience through her career, her family, sport and helping others. Highlights include growing up in a family of six children including having a twin brother, participating as a triathlete in the 1990 Commonwealth Games, and involvement in a crowdfunding venture for a women’s refuge.

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LYNSEY JACKSON, ASSOCIATE, AUSTRALIAN SECURITISATION FORUM Lynsey is the secretary of the WIS committee, and members say she performs a fantastic job coordinating events much of the operations work. Prior to working at the ASF, Lynsey worked in the public and private sectors in desktop publishing and administrative roles.

Lynsey has been pleased with the progress made by the WIS subcommittee over the last 12 months.

She fields a number of calls each month from women interested in participating in WIS events and notes the extent to which momentum in the events is building.

Lynsey was born in Gunnedah and raised in Wagga Wagga. She has a passion for interior design.

MARGOT KELLY, SENIOR MANAGER, SECURED FUNDING, BANK OF QUEENSLAND Margot has more than 13 years’ experience in the securitisation and structured-finance industry. She currently works at Bank of Queensland (BOQ), which issues through the REDS RMBS, REDS EHP and Impala ABS programmes.

Margot has recently joined WIS to the delight of the other subcommittee members. She is described as a “fantastic representative for Queensland women in securitisation”. She is enthusiastic about her recent appointment and says change for women in securitisation is not just warranted but absolutely critical. “I am very hopeful we can drive this change,” she tells ASJ. “Having a WIS panel at the ASF’s annual conference will be a step in the right direction.”

At the same time as juggling work at BOQ, Margot is raising twin three-year olds and she likes to keep fit.

Margot admires all working mothers, and feels this is one of her biggest life achievements.

SARAH SAMSON, DIRECTOR, SECURITISATION, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK Sarah has 10 years of banking and finance experience.

Prior to joining National Australia Bank in 2010, she worked for Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services in London and Melbourne. Sarah started out as a graduate on the Ford Credit graduate programme, but quickly developed her analytical skills and found a way into the world of securitisation.

Sarah says her father has been a consistent positive influence and motivator throughout her life, and has helped instil in her a desire to help and support other women – particularly those that have the skills and intelligence to succeed but struggle with confidence and direction.

Sarah is passionate about family, spending as much time as she can devote to her nieces and nephews.

She holds a Bachelor of Business (Marketing), Bachelor of Business (Management), and a Masters in Applied Finance from Melbourne University.